Ten: Into The Belly Of The Beast

Anti-Litigation Charm: None of the characters belong to me. They belong to JK Rowling, who let my entire reason for reading the Harry Potter series bleed to death on the floor of the Shrieking Shack. I'm building a better world.

I drew that glass across his neck, as fine as any blade, and I felt his blood pour fast and hot around me where I laid.

As time passed, and Hermione became adept at Occlumency, Severus allowed her to practice Legilimency, and together they honed her skills to a razor sharp edge. Hermione was delighted to learn that, after Severus' tough-as-nails approach to Occlumency, Legilimency was child's play to her, and to Severus' relief, she was surprisingly subtle.

The day she Legilimized into his mind during class, without his initial realisation, thrilled her, and disturbed him. It forced him to admit that she was incredibly adept, and to have a serious heart-to-heart about the propriety of looking into his thoughts in the middle of lecturing on Pepper-Up Potion. It also proved to him that he needed to double his guard against that sort of unexpected attack.

Hermione soon learned why accomplished Legilimens were often feared. She found it so easy to slip into someone's mind; at most, it was an invasion, and at the least, very bad manners. Hermione never repeated her classroom stunt again, but she could understand the temptation. All it took to break her of Legilimizing into Severus' mind was finding him there, arms crossed, glowering at her, hissing, "Hermione, there are a rather large amount of house points in peril right now, if you don't remove yourself from my mind this instant!"

He was initially angry with her, but she had helped him to discover a serious breach in his protective armour; the most innocuous of moments could result in an invasion he was neither prepared, nor equipped for. He drilled her even more mercilessly afterward, this time in Legilimizing him.

As they worked with both disciplines, they soon realised the incredible implications of their combined skills: With practice and discipline, she and Severus soon learned to communicate non-verbally, for short amounts of time and distance. Sometimes, from one end of the castle to the other.

When Harry collapsed during his O.W.L. exam, Hermione hurriedly finished hers, and raced to be with him, fearing the worst. His link with Voldemort had grown stronger all year, ever since the night Harry dreamt Arthur Weasley was attacked in the Department of Mysteries; the dream was later found not only to be a true vision, but crucial in saving the older wizard's life.

Rushing to Harry's side, Hermione was shocked at his pale, unnaturally pinched features. He whispered urgently, "It's Sirius! He's there! In the Department of Mysteries!"

Confused, Hermione asked, "Harry, why would Sirius be there? He knows he can't safely leave Grimmauld Place."

Harry turned to her, his eyes snapping with green fire. "He's there because your precious Professor Snape has goaded him into leaving Grimmauld! Snape, always taunting him for not being able to help – he's there to help me, and they're torturing him!"

Ron was as baffled as Hermione. "Who is, mate? C'mon, Harry, you're not making sense!" He looked to Hermione, who shook her head. "Start from the beginning – "

"Alright, but we have to hurry!" Flustered, Harry marshalled his thoughts. Rather sheepishly, he began. "I sort of fell asleep in the exam, and I saw Sirius in the Department of Mysteries." He turned to Ron. "It was just like when I saw your dad! Sirius was being tortured by Voldemort, and he kept asking him where it was!" He looked at Hermione, his eyes imploring and fearful. "We've got to get to him! Hermione, he's my family!"

"Let Professor McGonagall alert the Order – "

He looked from Ron back to Hermione. "Professor McGonagall can't help – she's been hurt! She's been transferred to St. Mungo's." He gave an exasperated huff. "What was the whole point of the D.A., if we can't use what we've learned to help each other?"

Hermione felt her friend's frustration and anxiety, but she also thought it was just too convenient. Sirius would never leave Grimmauld Place, even if he was angry at Severus' taunts. "What if it's a trick, Harry? What if Voldemort has come to realise he can manipulate your thoughts, and he's using your feelings about Sirius to make you do something reckless?" Harry looked at her as if she was mad.

At the High Table during lunch, Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, and scowled, as he felt Hermione's anxiety ramping up to a critical pitch. This was not merely exam nerves. From within his Occluded mind, he called to her.

What is happening, Hermione?

For a moment, he could sense her struggling to reply, as if she were too distracted, or too far away. The sensation was patchy, like static from a Muggle radio station out of range. Harry had a vision that Sirius was in the - Her thoughts faded, and once again he was reminded of sound giving way to white noise.

He left the Great Hall, his robes billowing as he passed several intimidated students, scowling at them in his usual manner. In his mind, he frantically tried to reconnect to Hermione. Usually, it was almost effortless; the two of them had grown adept at it, and every night, Hermione's agile mind reached out to his, and bade him goodnight, just so the last voice he heard before sleeping would be hers.

It was something he shamefully relied on, and it irritated him that he could not connect to her mind now, when it was needed most. He just had to push a little harder. He knew from experience that, if she was distracted or occupied, it was almost impossible to make contact. Hermione! Answer me at once!

Watching Harry as he paced, Hermione suddenly winced at the imperious command all but reverberating in her mind.

Finally, after what seemed a small eternity, Severus sensed her within. Harry's had another vision, like the last one... We're going to... The voice he had come to rely on for comfort, for information, faded, and Severus, no matter how hard he tried, could not connect with her.

Severus strode down the hall at his usual pace, his long legs eating up the distance. The idiot Umbridge had requested his presence, which meant she wanted to dope up another student into telling her everything the poor wretch knew, which was always nothing. The fool was going through Veritaserum as if it was Gillywater, and he felt a smug satisfaction in being able to tell her she had used up his entire supply. Moronic woman! No style, whatsoever.

Hermione watched Severus, as he lounged in the doorway, surveying the sight before him. They were in Umbridge's office, surrounded by her Inquisition Squad and the members of the D.A. who had come to help and been caught at the same time.

Severus looked at the scene in front of him, and would have laughed, had the potential consequences of what he was witnessing not been so dangerous. At Hermione's insistence, she, Ron and Harry, tried, unsuccessfully, to ascertain if Sirius was indeed missing from Grimmauld Place. Foolishly, as it happened, for Umbridge had caught them in her office, and was now trying to convince Severus to make her more Veritaserum, to force Harry into telling her the location of Dumbledore.

Severus stood in Umbridge's office, surrounded by her minions and the members of the D.A., looking bored and completely disinterested, even as the new Headmistress put him on probation for not having Veritaserum on hand. Hermione felt his dark voice Legilimizing into her mind.

What is happening, lass?

Hermione pretended to study her nails. We tried to contact Sirius at Grimmauld, and Umbridge caught us trying to use her Floo. She thinks we were trying to contact Dumbledore. She's making a lot of threats, but I can't believe she would act on them!

Watching Severus' bored expression, as Umbridge berated him for his lack of cooperation, Hermione hoped her face was half as impassive. She'd never seen someone look so completely apathetic, in light of the current situation.

As Harry shouted to Severus about 'Padfoot being at the place where it's hidden', Severus looked at Harry with deadpanned disdain. I will go on to Grimmauld as soon as I am able, to find out if his vision is accurate. If you can create a diversion, try to get away from her goon squad. Stay somewhere safe. Give me a moment to think this through.

What kind of diversion, Severus?

For the first time since he'd entered the room, Severus looked at Hermione. She returned his impassive gaze, and she could have sworn he cocked an eyebrow at her.

Use that clever little head of yours, the voice all but drawled in her mind. But for Merlin's sake, don't do anything stupid!

As Hermione watched the centaurs carry Dolores Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, she rather thought her diversion with Grawp and 'Dumbledore's weapon' might be something she and her professor would share a laugh over one day. If he didn't kill her for being so reckless, that is. She had the feeling that Severus might well classify the entire incident as 'doing something stupid'. Fortunately, it also worked.

As Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville prepared to leave for the Ministry, Hermione begged them to reconsider. "Harry, can't you see that Voldemort might have set this up as a trap?" Hermione pleaded, for perhaps the twentieth time, as Thestrals, lured by the smell of blood, wandered into the clearing. "Let's at least stay hidden until we know more!" She frantically tried to think of a way to persuade him. "Harry, Professor Snape understood your warning – I just know he did. He can get to the Ministry, to Grimmauld Place, to Dumbledore, even."

Harry looked at her in disgust. "Hermione, are you mental? Snape hates Sirius! I wouldn't put it past him to be the one who sent him to the Ministry!"

"It's Professor Snape and don't be daft! He is trying to help you!" she shouted, frustrated, terrified that Harry was walking blithely into a trap. "And what if Sirius is actually there? Do you think a handful of students can fight Voldemort?"

Harry shook his head. "You don't understand! Sirius is all I've got. He's the only family I have!" He looked at her pleadingly. "I have to try to save him. I have to."

Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged helplessly. In that moment, she knew she was on her own. Ron would not help. The others would gladly follow Harry.

Softening, she tried again, "Would you at least start at Grimmauld Place, and find out if Sirius is really there?"

Harry, too upset and afraid to heed her advice, mounted one of the Thestrals. "You can go to Grimmauld if you want, Hermione," he said, looking down at her accusingly. "But Sirius is my godfather, and I love him. And I'm going to save him, with or without your help!"

Hermione knew her pleas were falling on deaf ears, and the others would follow Harry. Frustrated, she said, "Well, I'm not staying here on my own! Fine! I'm going to Grimmauld Place, and if Sirius is there, we'll join you at the Ministry. Just, please be careful – and don't do anything stupid!" she screamed, as Harry and the others took off, straddling nothing but thin air. It was the strangest sight Hermione had ever witnessed. As she watched them disappear into the darkening sky, Hermione realised she was in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, no idea how to get out, surrounded by invisible Thestrals, and Merlin knew what else.

"Shit," she said, aloud, and closed her eyes, mentally reaching for Severus, but wherever he was, she was unable to contact him. Instead, her hands found the bony flanks of a waiting Thestral. Even though she could not see it, the beast waited patiently at her side, as if there for the sole purpose of allowing her to cadge a lift.

"Well, Hermione, you wanted to grow up. Here's another fear to face," she muttered aloud, and half pulled, half dragged herself up onto the Thestral's back. Before she could think, it was in the air, taking Hermione with it. She willed herself not to scream, biting back her sick fear and nerves.

The Thestral seemed to know where she needed to go, and they speeded through the rapidly waning light of the cold night air. Even as she flew toward Grimmauld Place, Hermione, dreaded meeting Severus there. He would not exactly jump for joy that she had defied him and not returned to the castle. After all, she had to tell someone that Harry and the others were on their way to the Ministry, didn't she? She hoped she could convince him of her reasons; if only she was completely sure of them herself. All she was really sure of was that, for the first time in her life, Hermione was hoping to see Sirius Black at Grimmauld Place...

Severus decided to take a broom. It would help him to avoid the Apparation detectors the Ministry had established in a vain attempt to locate Dumbledore. It was also less taxing on his magic than flying under his own steam. He thought of taking Hermione flying. Hermione is terrified of using a broom. I wonder if she would find it easier to learn to fly on her own?

By the time he was able to leave the castle, Severus was seething with frustration. He had managed to become embroiled in every petty problem bubbling in the castle. He only just managed to send a message to Dumbledore, to warn him of a possible altercation, and Dumbledore had ordered him to Grimmauld, as Severus had known he would.

Floo and Apparition were still monitored, and Severus cursed the Ministry for their stupidity. Because Minerva was in hospital, and his Slytherins made up Umbridge's Inquisition Squad, he had to be seen supporting them. Umbridge had gone with Hermione and Harry, but had still not returned, which left him in temporary de facto charge of the school. Still, he had finally managed to extricate himself from the fracas, and headed toward the edge of the forest. He was almost certain he would find Hermione and the others there.

He had tried to contact Sirius without success, but Black often ignored him whenever possible, so Severus wasn't unduly worried. He felt confident that when he arrived at Grimmauld Place, the mutt would be there waiting, bored and restless as ever, and together they would wait until the rest of the Order had a chance to determine if there was anything actually happening at the Ministry. He was sure this was a false alarm – he would have been notified of any Death Eater activity, surely.

In the back of his mind, he still worried. Lucius Malfoy had been eager for some time to prove himself indispensable to the Dark Lord, and he had hinted at jealousy of Severus' position with their Master. Lucius would have made sure Severus knew nothing about any raid he planned, in order to curry greater favour with the Dark Lord. There would only be one reason they would converge on the Ministry, and Severus had just negated that (he hoped!) by keeping Potter from going off half-cocked.

As he scanned the forest, hoping to find Hermione, Potter, and the others, his unease deepened. They were nowhere to be found; they were not in the castle, nor in Hagrid's hut, nor anywhere in Hogsmeade, that he could ascertain. A terrible dread began to rise in his chest.

The prophecy. He was mortally afraid the Dark Lord might have used Sirius to lure Potter to retrieve the thrice-damned prophecy; the one that Severus had overheard, and reported, when still young and smarting from Lily's rejection. It was the lynchpin to the door of his own personal prison; the wellspring from which seeped the recriminatory poison he had ingested every day since its foretelling.

Dumbledore had designed a hair shirt from it, then sewn in onto Severus' willing, guilt-ridden flesh, to remind him why he was allowed to live free from the threat of Azkaban. Severus hated that prophecy, almost as much as he hated himself for hearing it, hated Potter for living it. If he had never overheard the prophecy, if he had not been chased away from the door of Sybill Trelawney's room, thus missing it in its entirety, if he had not rushed to the Dark Lord to curry this ultimate favour, if, if, if... His life had become one long string of ifs.

Another 'if' slipped unbidden into his thoughts. What if Black had somehow been lured to the Ministry? What if Black was sending the Order to their deaths by his foolish restlessness and ennui? He pushed the broom harder. Merlin, please, he thought, the biting air narrowing his eyes down to slits in the dark, don't let this godsdamned prophecy continue its destruction of more innocent lives. Not this chance. Not the students. Not her; not us.

Hermione entered Grimmauld Place quietly, hoping not to startle Mrs. Black's portrait into screeching its anti-Muggle epithets. Every time she awoke the portrait into screaming, prejudice-fueled fury, Hermione would vow that the next time she arrived, she'd bring turpentine to spray on the old hag.

She almost called out for Severus, but the deathly quiet intimidated her into silence. She listened for any sounds in the house, but she could hear nothing, not even a clock ticking. She was almost sure she had somehow beaten Severus to the house, and the fact that it seemed empty filled Hermione with dread. She fervently wished Severus would hurry and arrive, so they could go and help Harry. She had no choice but to stay now; leaving without Severus was not an option, and she didn't dare send her Patronus to warn Harry, in case she compromise Severus' cover.

She swallowed. What a fool she'd been! She should have sent her Patronus to Severus before embarking on this entire idiotic fool's errand. He would be furious with her! After a moment's thought, she decided to risk sending it - she could at least tell Severus that Grimmauld appeared empty. Then, she would send it to Harry, to tell him to be on the lookout for Sirius.

As she reached the top of the stairs, Hermione thought she heard a noise, but couldn't place it. It was an old house; it creaked and shuddered and groaned like an old man, and Hermione accepted it as such.

Her heart started to pound; if no one was here, then was Harry's vision of Sirius true -

"Well, well."

Hermione yelped in surprise, and turned around to see Sirius, watching her from the doorway of his bedroom. He smiled lazily. "What on earth are you doing here, all alone, little Hermione? Come to kiss and make up, for getting me into trouble with Snivellus?"

Hermione felt her heart leap into her throat. She could smell liquor from where she stood. "Sirius, listen, Harry – "

"Oh, it's alright, Hermione," he slurred, giving her what he must have thought was a seductive smile. He lurched toward her. "If you've come to ask forgiveness, I accept." His eyes raked her in drunken appraisal. "I'm a very charitable wizard. I'm sure, after Snivellus, you're ready for a real man."

He gestured inside the door, an invitation. "I'm only happy to oblige. Come in, and I'll show you. It's been awhile since I've had a virgin, or did Snivellus make good on his promise to pop your little cherry?" He said the last words with lewd, lascivious, sing-song emphasis, and it made Hermione's skin crawl, in spite of the urgency of the situation.

She was backing up toward the landing, shaking her head. "Sirius, you have to listen to me. We have – "

"NO! You'll listen to me, you little high-tit bitch!" His sudden, blazing lust was palpable, and Hermione jumped, and began to shake. "I usually don't take Snivellus' leftover whores, but in this case I'll make an exception. If I'm going to die of fucking boredom in this godsforsaken house, at least I'm going to die of fucking!"

Sirius advanced on Hermione, and she backed up against the top stair. "Sirius, this is an emergency! Professor Sn – "

"Fuck's sake, be quiet, you little slut!" Suddenly, Hermione was unable to make any sounds. He had cast a Silencing Charm on her, and no matter how loud she shouted, no sound issued from her throat. It was as if he'd switched her volume off completely. She looked at the dark-haired wizard, and in her mind, she knew if she stood here, he would hurt her. She was frozen to the spot, and Black sneered and took a menacing step toward her.

And then Hermione was running, running down the stairs, down the hall, fear giving her feet the same wings as when she had spotted Severus, and thought he was a Death Eater, come to attack the school. She knew this outcome would be different, and she knew Severus was going to be furious – if she survived.

Her heart was almost bursting with fear, and she could still hear the wizard behind her, gaining ground. She almost sobbed, feeling terror and stupidity washing over her, tainting her sweat with a bitter, caustic edge, and she knew he would sense it, and use it against her.

She was almost at the front door, so close to escaping, but, as before, her fear was making her panic, and she wasn't thinking straight...

Severus had given up his frantic search through the perimeters of the Forbidden Forest for Hermione and the others and reluctantly started toward London. As he flew through the dark, he suddenly felt a pain in his arm, and for a sickening moment, thought he was being summoned. In the biting, confusing cold, he cast a warming charm, and it was only then that he realised it was his palm that was stinging.

Sirius caught up with her at the door of the library, and grabbed her hair, yanking her neck back ruthlessly. He throttled her around the neck in a punishing grip, which made breathing difficult. "I normally like hearing my lovers calling my name, but just in case you might stupidly mistake me for your dear professor, I think we'll keep you quiet for awhile. Calling me 'Severus' would put me off my stroke, as it were."

Hermione could smell his breath, rank and sour with whisky, and she began to struggle in earnest. She fought, hard, but he was strong and too inflamed with lust and alcohol. As he dragged her into the Library, he laughed. "What a little wildcat you are! I'll bet you give Snivellus a right old run for his money! Well, you don't have to whore for me, my dear – I promise it'll be so good you'll end up wanting to pay me!"

She tried biting his hand, and he smacked her with a glancing blow across the head, which caused stars to explode behind her eyelids. Her stomach lurched sickeningly.

A strong hand grabbed hers, and she screamed silently as he deliberately snapped her index finger. "That'll calm you down," he growled. He gave her another hard cuff on her temple, and she fell to the floor in stunned agony.

Flying through the night, Severus calculated he was close to London, when he felt a sudden sickness in his gut that almost made him vomit. He broke out in a cold, slimy sweat that caused him to shiver in the chilled night air. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he felt the stinging sensation in his palm intensify to a slicing, knife-stabbing pain across his hand, and he almost fell off his broom.

Severus? Severus, please! Hurt... rape... please don't hurt me! Severus... hurt...hurt...

Severus tried to clear his mind, but the pain in his hand burned almost as hideously as his Dark Mark, and he knew Hermione was in grave danger. The flashes of her mind's eye were brief, like the images of a fevered nightmare. She was trying so hard to reach him, and Severus scanned the ground, looking for a place to land. Ministry tracers be damned. He would Apparate to her. She was at Grimmauld Place, alone with him.

Hermione lay face down on the dusty carpet, as Sirius grasped the hem of her robe and tore it, from the hem almost to the nape of her neck, throwing each half on either side of her prone body. He bound Hermione's arms behind her with magical ropes, and he used them to lift her onto the sofa. She greyed out as her arms were pulled unnaturally away from shoulders, causing her broken finger to scream, and Sirius laughed at her discomfort.

Tears of humiliation streamed from her eyes when Sirius barked, "Plain cotton knickers? I thought Snivellus would have you wearing something a bit tarted up." He leaned down over her, and she could hear him fumbling with his own clothing. His breath reeked in her nostrils, as he slurred, "Snape likes his women on the whorish side, doesn't he? I guess it's because that's the best he could do, until you came along! Well, I'll see to it that you start wearing something more appropriate. Because, my dear, once I've fucked you, you won't want to give old Snivellus the time of day. His precious Lily was just the same."

With a vicious rip, Hermione's knickers were torn from her body, leaving her completely exposed. A hard hand slapped each globe of her backside hard enough to increase her struggles.

"That's more like it, Hermione! Where's that fire you demonstrated a few moments ago? I want to see a little lioness, not a cold fish!" She bucked furiously, trying to throw him off and haul herself onto her feet, but he was too heavy. He pressed down on her neck, forcing her face into the carpet, until she could barely breathe.

"Since you're in this position, I think a little doggy-style is more than appropriate, don't you, my dear?" he growled. Sirius' weight shifted, and Hermione felt the hot, slavering breath of an animal against her back, the hot saliva as it dripped over her, and the burning, slashing pain of claws, ripping the skin on her back into streamer-like strips... Oh gods, he was going to take her in his Animagus form...

Hermione saw black dots swimming in front of her eyes, as lack of oxygen caused her body to shut down. She could feel Sirius forcing her thighs apart, growling, snarling, snapping at her flesh, but she was too weak to fight anymore. She just wanted to pass out and be done with this...

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione heard a furious shout and a surprised yiking sound, and the crushing weight was off her back and she could raise her head and breathe.

"Finite Incantatem!"

She took a deep breath and released an hysterical scream of pain. Powerful arms gripped her and pulled her from the floor. "Please, Sirius, DON'T!" she wailed, then realised it was Severus, his eyes snapping with fire, fury warring with his fear for her.

"Severus! Oh, thank the gods!" she sobbed, and tried to throw her pain-deadened arms around him, but they were lifeless and limp. To her unbounded relief, he pulled her as close to his body as he dared without rubbing against the scratches on her back. "I tried to stop him – "

"I'm sorry, lass. I'm so, so sorry," he cried, over and over, covering her face with kisses, rocking her in his arms. Anger and alarm fought for supremacy. "What the bloody hell are you doing here? I told you to stay somewhere safe until I came for you!" he roared, hating himself for shouting at the terrified girl. She cowered beneath his ravaging anger. He looked around. "Where are the others?"

Hermione was gasping, in pain and fear. "They wouldn't listen to me! They're already at the Ministry! I tried to tell Sirius, but he was drunk, and he wouldn't listen –"

"Damn him!" Severus ground out, too distressed to think rationally. He wrapped her in his arms, throwing his cloak around the both of them. "Damn Dumbledore for keeping the mutt around! If it wasn't for Saint Potter - " He looked at her swollen face, the bruising on the side of her head, the index finger crooked at the unnatural angle. Severus chanted a hasty series of spells to heal the long scratches, the bruising on her head. With a sharp cry, Hermione allowed him to reset her finger, cursing Sirius for his cruelty. His heart cramped with love for her, and fury against Black. He looked at her searchingly. "Did he – has he molested you, Hermione?"

Numbing exhaustion crept into Hermione's limbs, leaving her drained and shaking. "No, no. He morphed into a dog, and he was going to - " Fear choked her words, as Severus' face turned ashen, and he stared at her, quite stunned at his own anger.

He made a harsh sound in the back of his throat. He hissed, "I'll kill him!" His onyx eyes were clouded with rage; he was consumed with the idea of wrapping his hands around Black's throat and squeezing, squeezing, until he shut his taunting mouth for good.

He would make it up close and personal; no Avada for Sirius Black – that was too good for him. No, he would kill him the old fashioned way; his father's way. The way a half-breed, Manc mill trash boy would do a privileged, pureblood cunt like Sirius Black...

In the tense silence during her wizard's homicidal fantasies, Hermione's head cleared, and she remembered their mission, and shook Severus. "Harry! Oh, Severus! Harry and the others. They're at the Department of Mysteries! The Dark Lord must have tricked him. They might be walking into an ambush!" She clutched at his robe with her uninjured hand.

Her hoarse, entreating voice snapped Severus from his dangerous musing, and he looked down at the tender, bruised face of the witch he'd vowed to protect, and he pushed away the temptation to act out his retaliation to Black. His first obligation was to take care of Hermione.

He quieted, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips."Shh, my girl, rest easy." Severus soothed, stroking the wild tangles of hair from her face. He forced his mind to calm, so that he could calm her. "Shh. That's my girl," he crooned, in his beautiful, softly velvet baritone.

As he Legilimized into her mind, he soothed her, running a calming hand down the corridors of her recent memories, smoothing the rough edges, softening the pain. Hermione gradually calmed beneath his stroking, sensitive fingers, her trembling gradually subsiding. "A cadre of the Order is supposed to be there now. They won't be alone."

There was a low moan from the corner, where Severus' spell unceremoniously threw Sirius. Morphed back into his human form, Black woke with a start, and found himself on the business end of Severus' wand. Hermione still clung to Severus, his left arm around her protectively, his cloak covering her nakedness.

"I've never forgiven myself for not killing you two years ago when I had the chance. Give me one reason not to kill you now, Black!" He growled, holding Hermione in a crushing grip. "If you've hurt her seriously, I'll be happy to put you down like the mangy cur you are! I told you to stay away from her, but you had to play to type yet again!"

Sirius sneered, shaking his head to clear it. "Oh, yes, the great Snivellus Snape, come to save the day! How pathetic you are, lusting after this little piece of trim! She was practically throwing herself at me!"

"Is that why you tied her up and broke her hand, you disgusting prick?"

Hermione's jaw set firmly, and her eyes narrowed in anger. Sirius watched, as Hermione looked intently at Severus, who nodded, and quickly retrieved her wand. She joined him in holding Sirius at bay. "I ought to hex your slimy little bollocks off, but I think I'll let Harry do it for me! He might be fighting for his life in the Department of Mysteries right now, because of you!"

Sirius sobered quickly. "Harry? What do you mean, fighting for his life? What's going on?"

Hermione all but screamed, "I was trying to tell you, you fuckwit, but you were too drunk to listen!"

Black looked at Severus in alarm. "I demand to know what's going on!"

"You're in no position to demand anything, Black!" Severus spat, his fear-roughened voice dripping with contempt. "Your precious godson was tricked by the Dark Lord, and he and his friends are at the Department of Mysteries." He sneered at the concern on Black's face. "And if something happens to them, you can thank the Dark Lord yourself, for tricking Potter into believing you were too bored and stupid not to stay away!"

He turned to Hermione. "Do you think you can come with me?" He gestured toward the other wizard. "I'm not about to leave you here with this..." His lip curled in distain. "Mongrel."

Sirius was shaking his head. "I'm going to the Ministry. If something is truly happening, I have to be there to help Harry." He looked at the couple. "We can – discuss this later, if you like, but I think our priority should be to Harry, don't you?"

Severus growled, "You should have thought of that before you tried to rape his best friend, Black!"

"Please, both of you!" Hermione said, hoarsely, holding onto Severus' coat, her eyes searching his, pleading. "Please, let's just go! Just to make sure!"

Severus repaired her torn clothing, his eyes narrow and furious. He turned and looked at Sirius. Black met his gaze, then Apparated away. This isn't finished, Black. If you've ruined her for me, I'll happily send you to hell tonight, he promised himself, as he placed his arms around Hermione, to prepare her for Side-Along Apparation. Severus indulged himself, and kissed her fervently, and promised the gods all manner of things as long as he could keep her safe.

The three of them Apparated into hell.

It was as if the Ministry was a battlefield of demons; a circus constructed of every nightmare and warped trip any junkie had ever experienced, and they'd just stepped into the middle of it. Hexes were flying all around them, and they began to defend themselves, almost without thought, the moment they Apparated.

Severus cursed himself for not being more prepared; he could easily be determined as the enemy by both sides. At least, in his Death Eater robes, he'd have less chance being hexed by other, more experienced, dirty fighters.

He saw Bellatrix Lestrange, the Dark Lord's most trusted and violent follower, in the middle of the fray. She was completely barking, but her hexing prowess was devastating. She'd already taken down several of the young people with Blasting Hexes, and Severus pulled Hermione into one of the alcoves, out of the line of fire.

"Stay here, Hermione! Don't move until I come for you!" he hissed. He looked around frantically, trying to gauge the best way he could defend the students without getting killed. The Department of Mysteries was a hellish, surreal landscape. He briefly saw Lucius Malfoy fighting with Potter, trying to force the boy to give him the prophecy crystal. Severus thought grimly, Now I know why I wasn't informed. Lucius wanted all the glory for himself.

Severus transfigured his robes to resemble his Death Eater robes, and began to block the hexes of his fellow Death Eaters, in the guise of trying to hit Ginevra Weasley and Luna Lovegood, both of whom were holding their own. Neville Longbottom was down, and trying valiantly to defend himself. Severus blocked a curse meant for Longbottom, making it look like one of his own, gone wild.

Everything seemed to happen at once for Severus. He saw Potter running away toward his godfather. He threw a minor hex into the room. It went high, wild and handsome, just as he heard Bellatrix's mad laughter, and Sirius Black's answering taunt. He saw a flash of something out of the corner of his eye, and Black cried out, and staggered backward toward the arch in the middle of the room. From Severus' sidelong viewpoint, it was as if Black fell back through the plane of a stone wall and disappeared in a flutter of ragged black material.

Potter cried out for his godfather, and the Death Eaters pressed their attack. Severus saw Longbottom and Weasley throwing curses toward their enemies, enabling Potter to escape. There were shouts and threats slicing through the chaotic air. Severus threw several more hexes and lurched into the shadows just as a dark, purple slashing hex arced through the room, like diabolical electricity searing the air. Another, lighter spell pulsed in the air in answer to the first. Severus heard an almost inhuman scream of panic, and whirled around to find the source. The battle was moving into the next room, and through the haze of smoke and hex work, he heard a low, whimpering moan of the seriously injured.

He found the Weasley girl kneeling on the ground, huddled over someone, and as he approached, he transfigured his robes. He couldn't risk the trigger-happy girl mistakenly hacking his bits off. He'd seen her Blasting Hex and knew she was more than capable.

He flew to her side, and she looked up at him, her large eyes almost crazed with fear. "Professor! One of the Death Eaters tried to throw a hex at you, and she blocked him – she stepped right in front of you, and refused to move- you've got to do something – "

He looked down at the prone figure of Hermione, her robe slashed open. He'd never seen so much blood pumping out of a living person. She was shuddering, going into shock. He could see the wound; it started at her sternum and reached almost to her pubic bone. It was gaping and bleeding profusely.

She looked up at him, pleadingly, her lips turning blue. He wrenched her up into his arms and Hermione's answering moan of pain raised the hair on the back of his neck. He pressed the sides of her torso together to close the wound. "Miss Weasley, we're going to have to help Miss Granger."

"What do you need, sir?" she asked, her teeth chattering. The poor girl was terrified. He looked down at Hermione's chest. He attempted his most reliable Healing Charm, but he could tell no discernable difference. She continued to bleed profusely. Nothing he could think of was slowing down the blood loss. The Weasley girl gasped as she tried to rise, and it was only then that Severus saw her swollen ankle.

He muttered another hasty Healing Charm for Ginevra, with a little more success. "You can get that reset later. For now, I need you to help me. You're going to have to apply pressure to the wound. I'm unable to stem the bleeding!" He transfigured Hermione's robe into a thick towel. "Fold it several times and press it firmly to the wound. Hurry!"

As Miss Weasley complied, pressing hard on Hermione's breastbone, Severus looked around frantically. "I need you to help me find a working Floo! We've got minutes to get her to a Healer!" He Disillusioned the three of them, and they ran.

Together, he and the frightened Weasley girl raced to the main Hall of the Ministry, where the Dark Lord and Potter were fighting with Dumbledore. Severus gave them only the barest of glances.

He felt the Weasley girl's arm tugging at his. "This one is active!" she shouted, and she and Severus ran to the Floo point.

He could feel Hermione struggle feebly. She was frantically trying to speak to him. "Don't talk, lass. Just stay awake. Stay awake for me, please!" Severus was already stepping to the Floo point. He could not travel directly to his final destination. He would take her to the one mediwitch he trusted above all others: Poppy Pomfrey. "St. Mungo's!"

From the Wizarding hospital, Severus and Miss Weasley transferred to the Hogwarts' infirmary, and he carried Hermione into the large ward. The towel on Hermione's chest now showed two bloody handprints where Ginevra Weasley had pressed down on the fabric to staunch the blood. It didn't seem possible that one small girl could lose that much blood and live.

As Severus shouted for Madam Pomfrey, Hermione drifted into consciousness. "Severus?" she whispered, her voice barely a whisper.

Severus looked down at her, and it was only then that Hermione felt afraid. He was covered in blood; it was on his black robes, it flecked the snowy white collar and cuffs of his shirt, it was spattered on his face and in his hair. "Are you hurt?" she said, confused.

"No, Miss Granger!" He turned into the room. "Poppy! Merlin's sake, hurry, woman!"

"What is it, Severus? Are you – Circe's nightgown!" she cried, her face contorting in horror, seeing the bloody figure in the arms of the wizard. "What happened?"

She listened carefully as Severus explained the curse, all the while running diagnostic spells, chanting healing spells, and Summoning potions from her stores.

Dimly, Hermione heard Madam Pomfrey say, "We've got to get her stabilized, Severus. Her vital signs are growing erratic." Hermione closed her eyes. She was so tired. It had been such a long day...

"Hermione! Try to stay awake!" She could hear Ginny, her voice shrill and frightened. Couldn't they just leave her alone?

"It's the blood loss that has me concerned," Pomfrey was saying. She turned to Severus. "Three vials of Blood Replenishment Potion."

As Severus uncorked the stopper, he glanced at the vial. It was marked in his own spidery handwriting, along with the date it was created. He had made the potion. As he gently parted Hermione's lips to pour its contents into her mouth, he froze. I made this potion.

Without hesitation, he tipped it into his own mouth, grimacing as the potion mixed with his own saliva.

Poppy looked at him, then nodded curtly. "Good idea, boy. That might give us the advantage we need." Severus nodded, his mouth full of the dark, foul-tasting solution.

When Severus could taste the change of the potency, he looked down at Hermione, and leaned over her, took her face in his hands, and with his eyes locked with hers, covered her mouth with his. Hermione, shocked that Severus would kiss her in front of Ginny and Madam Pomfrey, felt him force the potion from his mouth into hers.

Swallow this, lass. I made this potion, and my essence, my saliva, will help your body to absorb it faster. Hermione's eyes widened, and for a second, their tongues mingled. That's a good girl. Swallow it down...

"Swallow, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey urged, and Hermione obeyed, half-choking in surprise.

"What is he doing?" Miss Weasley whispered, looking on in stunned disbelief, as her Potions professor proceeded to repeat the action twice more with the Blood Replenishing Potions. The second and third time, Hermione swallowed without coughing, and gradually she rallied.

Four more potions; Professor Snape poured each one into his mouth, waited several grimacing seconds, then forced the potions from his mouth into Hermione's. Each time, the professor took longer to transfer the potion, until the last time looked no more or less than a deep, open-mouthed kiss. His long fingers gripped and stroked Hermione's face tenderly. Ginny Weasley watched them; the two of them looked as if they'd kissed before.

"Salvires Venenum, Miss Weasley," Madam Pomfrey replied briskly, cauterizing the wound with the tip of her wand, all the while applying Essence of Dittany. "You'll study it in – is it sixth-year Potions, Professor Snape?"

Trying not to swallow the backwash of the potions, Severus nodded at Poppy, in answer to her question. He sat up straight, feeling the residue of the potions swirling in his mouth. For a moment, he was mildly nauseous, and he plucked a towel from the bedside and spat into it twice, scrubbing his tongue on the cloth.

Grimacing at the residual taste of potion after potion layered on his tongue, Professor Snape stared down at Hermione, watching her closely for any change in her condition. He spat again into the towel, then tossed it aside.

As Madam Pomfrey concentrated on sealing the large wound, Severus explained, "Sixth-year Potions class, Miss Weasley. The magical signature of a Potion can be enhanced with the addition of the Potioneer's own bodily fluids - blood, tears, sweat, semen and saliva. Any of those fluids mixed with a standard potion will augment its potency exponentially. It will either increase the strength of the potion, or, in this case, its rate of absorption."

Never taking his eyes off Hermione, Severus continued, "The Potioneer imbues the potion with his own magical signature, therefore he or she can perform this only with potions they have themselves created, and only at the point of ingestion. Blood is the strongest component, being the most difficult to obtain.

"Mixing the potion with the Potioneer's saliva is called Savires Venenum. It's the weakest of the bodily fluids, being the easiest to obtain, and it will enable the body to absorb the potion more quickly. "

He watched Hermione carefully. "For Miss Granger's sake, at least, I hope so." He realised he was lecturing on fucking Potions while his reason for living was fighting for her life. He uttered a short, barking laugh at his own madness, and the two women, young and old, gave him a look of quiet, comradely understanding.

Madam Pomfrey muttered Cleansing Charms and other Healing spells on Hermione, as the three of them huddled around the little witch. Severus could feel the band of anxiety around his heart loosen, as Hermione's colour returned a little, and her breathing and heartbeat stabilised to an acceptable level.

Poppy asked Severus and Ginevra Weasley to allow Hermione some privacy, while she removed the injured girl's blood-soaked clothing, and made her more comfortable. She took a few minutes to heal the Weasley girl's ankle as well.

As they walked to the other end of the ward, Severus turned to Molly Weasley's youngest, and thought how she would be proud of her daughter today. Now that the crisis and conflict were over, however, the young girl looked as if she were about to cry.

In his calmest voice, Severus demanded, "Who did this? Who hexed Miss Granger?"

The red-haired girl frowned. "It was Dolohov. I remember his picture from the Prophet. He was aiming at you, sir, and Hermione just put herself between the two of you and refused to move. I don't know why, but I really couldn't believe he was going to curse her until he started shouting at her!"

Severus looked at the girl. She was so young. Quietly, he said, "He is a Death Eater, Miss Weasley. He will kill without compunction. You were most fortunate you were not cursed, as well."

"He didn't have time. I hit him with a Blasting Hex. I knocked him out cold." She smiled grimly. "I wish I was there so I could do it again – "

Forcing his voice to sound stern, Severus intoned, "Miss Weasley, I shall be sending a strongly worded owl to your parents this evening, citing your recklessness and foolhardy behaviour tonight."

Miss Weasley stared at him in shock, her eyes narrowing in anger. "But - but I helped you! My friends were in danger - "

"The danger was Potter's own doing!" he hissed, trying to intimidate the girl, while at the same time keeping his voice quiet, as not to disturb Hermione. "Miss Granger told me she implored you all to stay on the grounds, but you ignored her excellent advice! Not only did you leave school grounds without permission, but Potter endangered your life and the lives of your friends!"

He pointed toward the door. "Return to your House immediately. The only thing preventing me from deducting every point from your House is the fact that your efforts in assisting me with Miss Granger may well have saved her life! If she does survive, it will be no thanks to the foolish actions of you and your friends tonight!"

He turned and walked away, knowing the Weasley girl was staring daggers at him, and he didn't blame her. She had fought at the Ministry with skill and bravery, and without her, he wasn't sure Hermione would still be alive. He only hoped he would survive long enough to tell her these things, and to one day thank her for helping to save the life of the woman he loved. He almost stopped in his tracks. Loved. Hermione. He loved her. She blocked a curse, knowing it was meant for me. Oh, gods, She was going to sacrifice her life for me.

As he walked back to the ward, Severus was struck by the terrible realisation that he had almost lost Hermione, not once, but twice. The arrogance of his actions was like a smack in the face. Thinking he would be at Grimmauld, she had gone to the dog's own kennel, without once thinking that she would arrive first, or more likely, that Sirius would actually be there.

Severus had taken his time before leaving Hogwarts, hoping Potter was right again, and that Black actually was at the Ministry, being tortured by the Dark Lord. Merlin knew, Black deserved it.

Instead, the pureblood bastard had tried, almost successfully, to rape Hermione. Bastard! He was no better than Mulciber or Macnair, raping Severus for sport. He thought back to watching Black fall toward the archway Severus had seen from the side. Black had disappeared like some sort of sleight of hand magician's trick. What did it mean? Had Black been sent somewhere else, or sometime else? It was, after all, the Department of Mysteries, which meant it could mean, well, anything.

Severus asked himself if he would be happy if Black were now dead. Of course. Potter would blame him, no doubt. Lately, if a sparrow fell to a hawk's talons, Potter blamed Severus for it. He chastised himself for his petty thoughts. He walked back to Hermione's bedside. Poppy had removed Hermione's blood-soaked, mended school robes and dressed her in a simple, blue nightshirt. She looked frighteningly pale and tiny in the bed.

Poppy came and stood beside him. Quietly, she said, "Her parents will have to be informed, but I think she'll be alright." She turned to him. "You did well, Severus, bringing her here so quickly. It was quite serious. She will have a tough recovery ahead of her. It was a nasty curse; it's going to leave a large and disfiguring scar."

"At least she's alive." Severus watched Hermione's chest rise and fall, counting each breath. Each one felt like his own.

"Yes, but a horrid scar like that is going to be difficult to adjust to, especially for a young witch. It will be hard on her self-esteem. Wizards, especially, can be unkind."

Severus scoffed. "Those wizards are imbeciles. She won't have to worry about it." To himself, he added, "She will never be made to feel unattractive because of it."

"No, I don't suppose she will." Severus turned and looked at the mediwitch, who favoured him with a reassuring smile. "You're a mess, Severus. You need to go and get cleaned up."

He nodded, unable to remove his gaze from the still form in the bed. Poppy shook her head, marveling at the dour Potions master.

A chair was conjured for him, and Poppy brought him a mug of tea. "Funny, that. Most of the time it's you in this position, with the rest of us fussing over your bedside."

"I never asked you to fuss over me, Poppy," he said, quietly. To his surprise, she put a warm hand on his shoulder.

Almost fondly, she replied, "No, you never did, did you, Severus? But we did anyway. You don't stop caring for someone just because they don't want you to, young man." Poppy nodded at the figure in the bed. "She never has, at any rate. That's not how love works."

Severus sat down beside his witch. After a few moments, Poppy left him, closing the curtain around them, hiding them away from the world, where no one could see them. Severus took Hermione's hand in his, and kissed it, and pressed it against his heart, trying to will his strength into her. In the turmoil of his emotions swam the conflicting thoughts: was Black dead? Why did Dolohov try to curse him?

Opening lines are from Caleb Myer – lyrics by Gillian Welch